INS Raids, Bad for Consumers?

I was reading today that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said that 390 people have been arrested on immigration charges after Monday’s raid at Agriprocessors Inc., in Postville, Iowa. The facility is the world’s largest kosher meatpacking plant. According to INS officials, the raid was aimed at seeking evidence of identity theft, stolen Social Security numbers and people who are in the country illegally.

Now, here is a thought. Killing and slaughtering cows is likely not a pretty job. Perhaps, like the immigrants who took those jobs in the Chicago Packing Houses in “The Jungle,” these “immigrants” where the only folks interested in the work. My guess is that they might also be pretty good at it. So, who replaces these skilled, but undocumented workers? US citizens who have no idea how to properly kill and dress a cow? With the increase we have seen in E. coli O157:H7 cases in the last year, I wonder if adding unskilled, but US workers to the mix is good for the consumer?

Iowan’s used to work in slaughter houses. Back in the 70’s beginning wage at a packing plant was $12.00 an hour with many workers earning at least $20.00 and hour. In the late 70’s they broke the unions at the packing plants. Today beginning wage at Tyson’s in Waterloo is $9.50 and hour and at Agriprocessors it was $5.00 an hour. We will do it again for a decent wage. The owners of the packing plants are little better than slave owners.